As I wrote earlier I can give you a 'sort of' example. Second greatest regular season comeback in NFL history September 21, 1997, at Buffalo Bills 37, Colts 35 Colts led 26-0 at one point in the 2nd quarter. Halftime lead was 26-10. Score at end of 3rd quarter: Colts 26, Bills 16. Colts took 29-16 lead in 4th quarter. Bills later took a 30-29 lead with 4:43 remaining. The Colts did not score on their next drive. Right around that time I began to watch the game. Whatever game I was watching (probably a Jets game) had ended and NBC put on the conclusion of the Colts-Bills game. All the Bills had to do was run out the clock and the game was over. If I recall correctly the Colts were out of timeouts and the two-minute warning had already passed. Rookie Antowain Smith busted out for a 54-yard touchdown run. After the successful XP try the Bills led 37-29. The clock read "1:24." That touchdown allowed by the Colts was their only hope to stay in the game! (Well, other than forcing a fumble on the drive, Miracle at the Meadowlands-like.) If Smith was savvy enough to stop short of the end zone at any point beyond the first down marker, the game was essentially over. On the ensuing drive, Indianapolis moved the ball right down the field. Paul Justin connected with Marvin Harrison on a 2-yard touchdown pass. Bills 37, Colts 35. The two-point attempt was a pass from Justin. The ball was deflected by Kurt Schulz. Without the deflection, the game would have gone to overtime because the intended receiver was open. *** On the play in question the Colts had stacked the box. Smith found a hole and was untouched once he got past the line of scrimmage. I'm sure the Colts defenders wanted to cause a fumble. Allowing a touchdown was the next best thing, as it turned out. The Colts did not purposely allow the touchdown, so that's why I listed this as a 'sort of' example. This is the only case I know of where a touchdown actually helped the team that allowed the touchdown as opposed to helping the team that scored the touchdown. If Smith ran 53 yards and kneeled down at the 1 the game ends 30-29 after two more kneel down plays. Instead he went that one extra yard. In turn, the other team was later able to almost tie the score. One of the most bizarre endings to an NFL game, if you ask me.
